


mistletoe

by reddieforlove



Series: Reddie Drabbles/Oneshots [1]
Category: IT (2017)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, First Kiss, Language, M/M, Pining, holiday fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-16
Updated: 2017-12-16
Packaged: 2019-02-15 09:33:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13028226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reddieforlove/pseuds/reddieforlove
Summary: Richie would like to say that he isn't the kind of person who plans an entire holiday party just to kiss the boy of his dreams but that would make him an absolute liar.





	mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

> I plan on posting a Reddie Christmas/holiday fic every day until Christmas, which isn't that far off I know but it's a personal goal right now.
> 
> This is really fluffy. Just something light-hearted since I'm in the middle of writing quite the angsty chapter for my Mutant AU fic.
> 
> If there's something holiday/Christmas related you want to see for Reddie, let me know in the comments or on my [blog](https://reddieforlove.tumblr.com/).

“You know you can just kiss him, right?”

Richie jumped at the sound of Beverly’s voice much closer than he expected. He was so busy staring into the crowd of people that filled their apartment that he didn’t even see her approach.

“Kiss who?” he said,

Beverly gave him a look, clearly not buying his act.

“The cute guy in the Santa hat? He lives down the hall? Name starts with E? You’ve been pining after him for months now? Ring any bells?” she said, practically daring him to deny it.

“Never heard of him,” Richie said, swirling his eggnog around the cup he held.

“Bullshit.”

“Oh fuck off,” he said, though there was a smile tugging at his lips.

They both knew the truth, even he didn’t want to particularly admit it. Richie had never been the biggest holiday person, considering that they were mostly ignored as he grew up. Sometimes he would get a present on a random day of the year when his mom was sober enough to remember that his birthday or Christmas had come and gone with no celebration. If he was being honest, he would have rather not gotten the presents at all. They were just sad reminders of the fact that he was so often forgotten by his own parents. Yet he volunteered the apartment that he shared with Beverly to host the annual holiday party in the middle of December, decorating it all himself while Beverly and Ben came up with a table full of finger foods.

Richie couldn’t quite resist being his usual self, even in the midst of his best laid plans, hanging up a sprig of mistletoe in every single doorway in the name of chaos. Or so he said. But Beverly knew him far too well and saw right through it, knowing that had Eddie Kaspbrak on his mind. Yet as the night progressed, one of two things became increasingly true. Either Eddie had something against doorways or he was making an active effort not to be caught in one with anyone, least of all Richie. That didn’t mean that Richie didn’t get his fair share of amusement from the tradition.

The greatest moment of the night so far happened when Stan followed Bill towards the kitchen to find another bottle of champagne only to run directly into his back when Bill stopped short in the doorway to avoid hitting Mike, who darted to the side just in time to firmly place all three of them beneath the mistletoe. Of course none of it went unnoticed. The second that Richie saw them all trying their very best not to look at one another, he whistled loudly and brought everyone’s attention to the trio. It didn’t take long for him to convince the entire party to begin chanting their names until all three exchanged very quick kisses.

Stan smacked the back of Richie’s head as soon as they went their separate ways and Bill made sure to keep an eye on the doorways each time he walked through for the rest of the night. An attempt was made at keeping the eggnog away from Richie after that but he always managed to come up with another cup full of it. The only person he found himself under the mistletoe with was Beverly herself/ Of course neither of them cared, Beverly jumping into Richie’s arms just as he lifted her by the waist and pressed a smacking kiss to her lips all while she laughed. But they most certainly weren’t laughing now.

“You don’t need the mistletoe,” Beverly said quietly, propping her chin on Richie’s shoulder to look up at him. “Just go kiss him. Do something. I’m tired of watching you mope in the corner.”

“I’m not fucking moping,” Richie said with a frown.

Of course, Eddie chose that moment to let out a laugh, leaning heavily on Mike with color in his cheeks and the Santa hat lying crooked on his head in an absolutely adorable way. Richie couldn’t help the longing look that came over his face and Beverly simply shook her head.

“I’m gonna shove you two in a closet or something,” she grumbled as she walked away, her words falling on deaf, lovestruck ears.

As the party wound down with only a few more mistletoe incidents, Richie found himself carrying trash and leftover food all to the kitchen. Ben was settling a giggling Beverly in her bed while Bill, Stan, and Mike all danced around one another as they tried to subtly leave together. It wasn’t until he was halfway through rinsing out champagne flutes that the hairs on the back of his neck prickled and he glanced around to see Eddie himself hovering just inside the kitchen, looking hesitant with the slightest bit of pink still in his freckled cheeks and that damn hat still sitting crooked on his head.

“Need help?” he asked as Richie turned around to face him fully.

“You’re a guest, Eds,” Richie said with a chuckle, shaking his head. “I’m not gonna put you to work.”

“Please, I think I’m in this apartment more than my own,” Eddie said, stepping further into the room.

Richie didn’t argue when he picked up plates and began to scrape food off into the trash can, knowing that Eddie was hard to sway once his mind was made up. That was why he’d been living firmly in unrequited love hell since meeting him a little over eight months ago. No amount of blatant flirting seemed to work, Eddie always had a snappy remark waiting but showed little sign of actual interest. Beverly maintained that, unlike Richie, Eddie simply didn’t wear his heart on his sleeve. But all evidence pointed to Eddie being content with friendship.

“Thanks,” Richie said.

A few minutes went by in relative silence other than Beverly’s off-tune singing of “Joy to the World” from her bedroom intermixed with Ben’s low laughter.

“I hear you were in charge of decorating,” Eddie said.

“Think I went overboard with the tinsel?” Richie asked, smirking over at him.

“Not the tinsel,” Eddie said, meeting his gaze. “Lots of mistletoe though.”

Richie’s face warmed and he found himself suddenly very focused on scrubbing a lipstick print off of one of the glasses.

“I accurately predicted that it would be fucking hilarious,” he said with a shrug. “You get caught with anyone?”

“No, I didn’t,” Eddie admitted.

That made Richie feel a little bit better. At least if he was deprived of his one chance to kiss Eddie, there wasn’t anyone else who had the privilege of doing it either. The soft clink of Eddie stacking plates suddenly ceased and Richie heard his soft footsteps, assuming that he decided it wasn’t worth it to help clean after all. It was probably better off, before the lingering rum in his system caused him to say something even more suggestive than usual. But then Eddie spoke quietly behind him.

“Rich.”

Richie lifted his head and turned around, spotting Eddie standing fully in the doorway now with his hands clasped nervously in front of him.

“I avoided it pretty much all night,” Eddie said, glancing up at the mistletoe above him. “I didn’t want to end up kissing the wrong person… or a stranger.”

He looked positively disgusted at the latter option but somehow Richie’s mind got stuck on the first part.

“The wrong person?” he repeated.

Eddie nodded slowly.

“Someone else,” he said.

Richie simply stared, his heart picking up pace in his chest as he tried not to read too much into what was happening.

“Someone else?” he asked, his mouth suddenly feeling very dry.

“Someone other than you,” Eddie finally said.

Richie’s feet were rooted to the spot even as his mind screamed at him to _move goddammit!_

“Eddie, ol’ chap, if you wanted some of that Tozier lovin’ all you had to do was ask. I’ll reschedule my night of hot’n’heavy with your mom just for some quality smooches from y-”

“Richie shut the fuck up and kiss me,” Eddie huffed, annoyance replacing apprehension.

He finally managed to move, crossing the room in two long strides. One of his hands lifted of its own accord to delve into Eddie’s soft curls, knocking the red and white hat off his head completely. Eddie’s hands flew to his shirt and gripped it in tight fists as Richie’s other hand splayed over his lower back to pull him in close. In spite of his quick and somewhat desperate approach, Richie simply brushed his lips over Eddie’s gently, savoring the moment. It was perfect and so dreamlike that he would have pinched himself if it didn’t mean taking his hands off of Eddie. Pulling away, he relished in the other man’s frustrated huff and smirked slightly, skimming his lips over Eddie’s jaw and nuzzling at his temple. If he didn’t already think that Eddie was the cutest damn thing, the fact that he pushed up on his tiptoes and wrapped a hand around the back of Richie’s neck to bring their lips crashing together settled it in Richie’s mind. This kiss was much more than the other, all passion and heat with very little hesitation on either end. Somehow Richie found himself pushed against the doorway and Eddie was pressing open-mouthed kisses to the column of his throat.

“Fuck,” Richie hissed out, his head thumping back against the doorpane behind him.

Not because of what Eddie was doing, but because he had the presence of mind to push gently against Eddie’s shoulders, effectively ending the makeout of his dreams. Eddie stepped away stiffly, staring up at him with wide eyes and swollen lips that were practically screaming for Richie to kiss them again.

“What is it?” Eddie said warily.

“Go to dinner with me,” Richie answered.

The look he received was nothing short of confused.

“You stopped kissing me to ask me out on a date?” Eddie asked.

Richie swallowed hard and nodded, reaching up to brush his thumb over his flushed cheek.

“I just… I didn’t want… you should know… _shit!”_

Eddie stared at him with raised eyebrows.

“Richie, what are you trying to say?” he asked.

“I don’t want you to think that this is just kissing to me,” Richie finally said in a rush of words. “I want to do the romance and shit, you know? I’ve never wanted to do that before but I want to do it with you. I literally decorated this entire place because of you. I know you like Christmas and I thought maybe with the mistletoe…”

He trailed off, realizing that his mouth was getting the best of him. Eddie stared at him for several long seconds in which Richie started to wonder whether this was all just kissing for him.

“Fuck, Eds… I don’t want to make you feel like… if this isn’t what you want I get it. I know it’s a lot and-”

Eddie was suddenly kissing him again, quieting his panicked words with the gentle press of his lips. When he pulled away, looking up into Richie’s eyes, there was happiness in his gaze.

“I want to do the romance and shit too,” Eddie admitted quietly.

Joy flooded his chest at Eddie’s words and Richie couldn’t help but grin at him, pulling him back in for another lengthy kiss. By the time they managed to separate again, the apartment was otherwise quiet.

“You hung up all that mistletoe just to kiss me?” Eddie asked in a near whisper, looking up at Richie.

He nodded, feeling somewhat dumbstruck as he stared down into the eyes of the guy he never thought he’d actually get to hold like this.

“There’s not a lot I wouldn’t do, if we’re being honest,” Richie said.

Eddie snorted out a laugh, shaking his head.

“You’re a dumbass,” he said with disbelief, though there was a fondness to his words.

“No argument here.”

**Author's Note:**

> I would love to hear what you think!


End file.
